Arsenal fans rejoice: Walcott might be off to Everton

There are signs of progress at Arsenal. Theo Walcott is in negotiations with Everton. Everton manager Sam Allardyce says Walcott would be a “fantastic addition”, who would offer “goalscoring threat”. Yeah, good luck with that, Sam. This is good news for only one team: Arsenal. Having jettisoned Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool for the inflated sum of £40m, the Gunners are getting shot of that other nice middle-class boy with all the durability of a wet paper bag.

Walcott has featured 395 times for Arsenal. And you’d be hard press to recall many occasions when he shone. Two moment from his career at the club: signalling Arsenal were 2-0 up to Spurs fans as he was stretchered off; and in the Champions’ League quarter-final at Anfield in 2008, going on a delicious run and setting up Emmanuel Adebayor for a tap in.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he wants Walcott to stay at the club, and has told him as much. “We still have a good relationship and I don’t want him to be frustrated or lose any opportunity to play in the World Cup, because Theo went to the World Cup in Germany in 2006 and we are now in 2018 and he’s not been since for different reasons,” says Wenger. “That of course is a sensitive subject.”

Walcott joined Arsenal for £5m from Southampton in 2006. Back then he had promise. Time for Arsenal to get an upgrade.